CDC Offers Producer H1N1 Guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued interim guidance for workers employed at swine farms to help prevent the spread of the 2009 Novel H1N1 influenza virus from people to pigs and from pigs to people.

The guidelines fall into categories: recognizing the signs of flu in pigs; preventing transmission from pigs to humans; surveillance and monitoring of workers’ health; administering antiviral vaccinations; and preventing the transmission from workers to pigs.

In mid-October, NPPC sent a letter to CDC urging it to make available to swine workers, swine veterinarians and employees of pork processing plants the vaccine for the novel H1N1 flu. The letter pointed out that, because of their proximity to swine – and the fact that already there has been human-to-swine transmission of the H1N1 virus – pork industry workers also should be provided the vaccine.

The H1N1 virus that is circulating among humans has been detected in swine in several countries, including the U.S. Keeping this new human strain from entering and spreading among swine herds is important to protect animal health and public health, including the health of swine workers.